It is being reported that Cattle rearers in Ohaji Egbema have exhibited callousness by unanimously invading private farmlands in Umuapu, Ohaji/Egbema L.G.A., destroying farm crops and raping of innocent girls, women and old women. The menace came to a point when these cattle rearers would kill the women after raping them.

Hon.Luke Chukwu, representing the Ohaji / Egbema Constituency lodged a formal report with the Office of the Speaker, Rt.Hon.Benjamin Uwajumogu. The State government quickly acted on it with a recommendation to visit Umuapu-Ohaji the following week to find a lasting solution and peace in the area.

Recently, the Cattle rearers assaulted and raped an elderly woman to a point of coma. This action led to a demonstration by youths of Umuapu-Ohaji on Monday 11th July 2011. It took the intervention of a delegation led by Rt.Hon Benjamin Uwajumogu to calm the Youths. Addressing the Youths, Hon. Chief Luke Chukwu assured that the state government would solve the problem at hand.

In his reaction, the Speaker of Imo House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Uwajumogu disclosed that the Government was aware of their problems with the Fulani-Cattle rearers hence he came to personally to ascertain the current situation and be in a better position to proffer permanent solution. He assured them that he had held a meeting with the Ministry of Agriculture all in a bid to solve the problem.He maintained that no responsible government would keep quiet while their people are raped and killed unnecessarily.

“The governor is on his way back from Abuja to tackle the problem but in the interim I rushed to this place to allay your fears that we have abandoned you people. No it is not true. You are my people. You elected us. We must perform our duties to protect you at all times. His Excellency Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha, who is on a rescue mission to salvage the state, will not abandon the people of Umuapu-Ohaji. The reservoir (burrow pit) will be closed. What you have done is good; it shows you are not violent. In other places, they would have retaliated by killing the Cattle Rearers but in your case, you chose to only demonstrate your anger by carrying placards and blocking the roads.

This is a national problem but I assure you it will be tackled within one week. No other person will be killed. No other woman would be raped. A judicial commission of inquiry would be set up at once to look into this problem” – Rt.Hon Benjamin Uwajumogu.

Also present at the Visit was the Deputy-Speaker Hon. Chief Donatus Odoemena who prayed for peace to return to the Community.